Online Reporter
Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Prosecutor General Justice Loyce Matanda-Moyo has amplified calls for the decentralisation of drug-testing services, citing it as a critical measure to combat the nation’s rising tide of drug-related crimes.
The PG said this on Wednesday during a tour of the Victoria Falls Magistrates’ Court, where she engaged directly with frontline prosecutors and court staff.
“There is an urgency of decentralizing drug-testing services amid rising drug-related offences,” she said.
She explained that the current centralised system often creates debilitating delays in processing evidence, hampering swift prosecutions and the delivery of justice.
Her visit, however, covered a broader agenda for strengthening the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
She placed significant emphasis on improving the welfare and working conditions of prosecutors.
“We must improve prosecutors’ welfare to enhance professionalism and service delivery,” she said.
She said this is foundational to building an NPA that is a department of choice for legal talent.
Furthermore, the PG underscored the need for the courts to impose deterrent sentences to safeguard communities from serious crimes, reinforcing the judiciary’s role in public protection.
The Prosecutor in Charge for Victoria Falls, Mr Bheki Tshabalala, provided the PG with a grounded perspective on local challenges.
He briefed her on the city’s operational situation, outlining key case-load pressures, ongoing high-profile matters, and specific areas where the court requires additional logistical and technical support to function optimally.
The PG’s itinerary also included a courtesy call on the Resident Magistrate, where she reinforced the indispensable need for robust collaboration between the prosecutorial and judicial arms of the state to uphold the rule of law.
Justice Matanda-Moyo reaffirmed her core mission.
“I am committed to a modern, professional, and efficient National Prosecuting Authority that delivers justice with integrity and excellence,” she said.
The visit highlighted a multi-pronged strategy from personnel welfare to systemic reform in the NPA’s ongoing mission, celebrated this year as a decade of combating crime and corruption.
